A Little Less Oatmeal, A Little More Simplicity

With tomorrow being the last day of the Apostles' Fast, I've been thinking about how this fasting season has gone for our family. And surprisingly, it hasn't been quite as easy as we expected. Eight weeks after Great Lent came to an end, we found ourselves preparing for our next extended fast: the Apostles' Fast. Having made it through our first Great Lent rather easily, we honestly thought this one would be even easier. Of course, during Lent, we had been given an oikonomia that allowed us a less strict fast on weekends since it was our first time. But the Apostles' Fast already includes more relaxed fasting days, with fish permitted on many weekends. So naturally, we thought this would be a breeze! And for the most part, it really hasn't been too difficult. But somehow, it has felt a little more challenging than Great Lent.

One of the biggest challenges has been figuring out what to eat. During Lent, I developed a rash connected to eating legumes. So, this time around, I decided to avoid beans altogether. Unfortunately, that eliminated quite a few easy fasting-friendly meal options. And then there was the oatmeal. Thinking I was being practical, I stocked up on plenty of oatmeal for breakfast. It's inexpensive, filling, easy to prepare, and perfectly suitable for fasting days. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently, there's such a thing as too much oatmeal! With the fast nearly over, the kids are thoroughly tired of it. And honestly, I can't blame them.

And then there's the midnight snacking problem! Haha! In a way, I suppose that's actually a good thing. Part of fasting is learning to practice self-control, and cutting back on those late-night snacks is certainly a good exercise in that. But I also wonder whether having fewer snack options made the whole experience feel a little more challenging. I've realized that while simplicity is important during fasting, that doesn't necessarily mean eating the same thing day after day. Next time, I'll have to come up with a better rotation of easy, fasting-friendly breakfasts. Something that offers a little variety without making breakfast complicated. Since my husband and I don't typically eat breakfast, whatever the kids have needs to be simple enough for them to prepare on their own. We tried cereal with plant-based milks, but neither of them particularly enjoyed it. Interestingly enough, they're perfectly happy having oat milk in their coffee!

So, it's back to the drawing board for breakfast ideas. Which brings me to another thought I've been having. Why does trying to keep fasting meals simple sometimes feel so complicated?

If you've ever looked through vegan cookbooks or recipe websites, you've probably noticed how long some of the ingredient lists can be, and then you try to figure out what something is and where to get it. So many recipes are designed to recreate familiar meat- or dairy-based dishes using all sorts of substitutes. And while there's nothing wrong with those recipes, sometimes I feel like I'm making things more complicated than they need to be.

I have to remind myself that fasting isn't supposed to turn meal planning into an elaborate project. We're not supposed to spend all our time trying to recreate every favorite dish with a list of expensive substitutes. After all, part of the purpose of fasting is to step away from rich, elaborate meals so that we can spend less time thinking about food and more time focusing on God. The idea is to keep things simple. And yet, somehow, our regular Wednesday and Friday fasts seem so much easier to manage than these longer fasting seasons. Maybe it's because those are just two days out of the week, and I don't have to think quite so far ahead. Or maybe it's simply because we're still getting used to all of this.

I've also been wondering whether our expectations played a part. Great Lent was our first official extended fast as we began our journey into Orthodoxy. Everything was new, and there was a certain excitement about experiencing it for the first time. And when it turned out to be easier than we expected, perhaps we thought that every fasting season would feel the same. But apparently, that's not quite how it works! Even with the more relaxed fasting days, the Apostles' Fast has brought its own little challenges. Still, as we approach the final day tomorrow, I can't say it's been a bad experience. It's simply been different from what we expected. And I think that's part of learning.

Each fasting season gives us another opportunity to adjust, to recognize where we're making things unnecessarily difficult, and to remember why we're fasting in the first place. For now, I'm just hoping to find a better balance between simplicity and variety before our next extended fast comes around. And perhaps give the oatmeal a little vacation in the meantime!

Do you have any simple, fasting-friendly breakfasts your kids enjoy? I'd love to hear your ideas!